Head of Policy

Overview

PowerLines is a national nonprofit organization that aims to modernize the utility regulatory system for American energy consumers to lower utility bills and grow the economy. It focuses on state public utilities commissions (PUCs), which play a critical role in determining how much people pay for utility bills, how utilities invest in different types of energy, and where new energy projects are built. These 200 commissioners oversee more than $200 billion in utility spending each year and have significant influence over the future of our energy system.

Utility affordability is quickly becoming one of the most pressing economic challenges facing American consumers. In 2025, utilities requested a record-setting $31 billion in rate increases, double the previous record, while 80 million Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills. Meanwhile, the U.S. grid is experiencing the fastest rise in electricity demand in decades with the growth of AI data centers and manufacturing, and utilities plan to spend $1.4 trillion by 2030. Policymakers across the political spectrum are increasingly focused on how regulatory systems can respond to these pressures while protecting consumers and supporting economic growth.

Recognized on the 2025 “TIME100 Next” list , PowerLines is rapidly becoming a go-to source and leader in informing the national discussion of this issue and has already shaped the conversation in the New York Times , Washington Post , Wall Street Journal , Politico , Bloomberg , CBS News , NPR , Marketplace , Financial Times , TIME , Vox , The Daily Mail , and MIT Technology Review . PowerLines is quickly establishing credibility as a nonpartisan expert on utility regulatory and energy affordability issues while reaching a bipartisan set of policymakers, including initial partnerships with the National Governors Association , Western Governors Association , and National Conference of State Legislatures .

PowerLines is in a period of significant organizational growth and seeks a full-time Head of Policy to build and lead the organization’s Policy Team. This is a senior, hands-on role, and having strong leadership skills is a must. The Head of Policy will lead development and execution of PowerLines’ policy strategy, including engagement with policymakers, particularly at the state level such as governors, state legislators, and state energy offices, and on policy opportunities more broadly. (Note: The Policy Team engages at both the state and federal policy levels, but focuses on state-level policymaking engagement.) The Head of Policy will wear many different hats, from leading a growing team of policy experts while building partnerships and coalitions to advising stakeholders on policy strategy issues and serving as an external spokesperson for PowerLines. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced leader to shape how the utility regulatory system responds to rising utility bills and surging electricity demand, at an organization with the visibility and relationships to influence outcomes nationally.

The Head of Policy will be one of PowerLines’ senior programmatic leaders and serve on the PowerLines executive leadership team. The Head of Policy works alongside the Regulatory Team and Communications Team to drive impact in policymaking venues.

PowerLines is headquartered in Washington, DC. The Head of Policy is a remote position, with travel of approximately 10 to 20 percent expected. The Head of Policy will report directly to the Founder and Executive Director.

(Note: PowerLines is currently also recruiting for a Head of Regulatory role. The Head of Regulatory role is intended to be more technical on utility regulatory issues, whereas the Head of Policy role is intended to be more policy generalist in nature.)

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership

• Oversee Policy Team currently consisting of a full-time State Policy Lead, part-time Policy Advisors, and part-time Senior Advisors

• Lead Policy Team meetings on a weekly basis and set team priorities, manage workflow and workstreams across team, and ensure quality control on all policy products

• Serve on PowerLines’ executive leadership team and provide counsel on policy issues, opportunities, developments, and strategy

• Own day-to-day policy and team management decisions, and bring decisions on programmatic strategy, flagship products, highest-stakes external relationships, budget, senior hiring, and final personnel actions to the leadership team

• Provide mentorship to junior team members on programmatic and organizational issues

• Lead hiring for the Policy Team as it grows, in partnership with the Chief of Staff, who owns the recruitment and hiring process, with the Executive Director making final decisions on senior hires

• Define scopes for and direct the work of Senior Advisors and policy consultants

• Policy Campaign Strategy and Execution

• Develop PowerLines’ annual policy strategy to be updated on a regular basis, including identification of team goals, OKRs, and internal calendar with key dates and timelines, with the Executive Director

• Develop campaign strategy for 2027 policy campaigns across states, including recommending priority states and engagement strategy in each state

• Execute policy engagement strategy with policymakers, particularly at the state level including governors, state legislators, and state energy offices, including partnership and coalition building, policymaker education, and technical assistance

• Vet and recommend consultants and lobbyists as needed, with final engagement and budget decisions made by the Executive Director

• Oversee regular tracking and reporting of PowerLines' policy impact to iteratively inform strategy development and execution

• Oversee compliance with lobbying registration and filing requirements

• Policy Product Development, Research, and Analysis

• Oversee development and distribution of key PowerLines policy products, includ